Wrong about Chan Ho
I would like to apologize to Chan Ho Park.
Wrong about Chan Ho
Sam Donnellon, Daily News Sports Columnist
I would like to apologize to Chan Ho Park.
I wasn’t crazy about this signing last winter. I put him on the list of those guys who pitched well when it really didn’t matter, tried to get too cute and too precise when it did. I saw the up and down career that started with such promise when he was still in his teens, saw last postseason as evidence of him not pitching big when things got big.
Park has been everything I thought he wasn’t this season, beginning with gracefully handling his disappointment being removed as a starter, and pitching well immediately afterwards. After watching J.A. Happ keep the game manageable Tuesday night and Park hand the ball to the back of the bullpen, you couldn’t help but smile about the twists and turns of a 162-game season. It’s part of why paying attention to this sport is so much fun. The more you do, the more there is to see.
Anyway, Park has won me over. I was dead wrong last winter.
I also think Happ’s Tuesday start was an indication that he isn’t just this year’s edition of Kyle Kendrick. He didn’t have much. Yet he kept them in it, even as they were being no-hit. Good stuff.
*
Shane Victorino on the guy who dumped a beer on him: ``I tip my hat to him. He had perfect timing.''
Hard to not like this guy.
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Sam, I admire anyone who can admit when they are wrong ... Now, if only some of the athletes you write about would do the same ... Furthermore, I think Jamie could learn a little from Chan Ho about how to conduct themselves after being relegated to the bullpen ... If you recall, Chan Ho declined to attend the World Baseball Classic because he wanted to devote all of his energy to securing a spot in the starting rotation ... But he handled his demotion with class and a team-first attitude ... And along with J.A., Chan Ho has been, arguably, the Phillies most valuable pitcher this season.— PhightinPhil
Comment removed.- $15,333,679. This was his salary in 2006. Why else would be be pitching for $2.5 million in 2009 unless he truly loved the game? I give him lots of credit for sticking with it still.— frankatlasalle
- $15,333,679. This was his salary in 2006. Why else would be be pitching for $2.5 million in 2009 unless he truly loved the game? I give him lots of credit for sticking with it still.— frankatlasalle
- Sam --- nice touch to publicly give Chen Ho the thumbs up. You won't hear that from too many in your profession. --- We the public, are constantly bombarded with PR on Rollins and how the team can't win without him, which completely nullifies the contributions of 7 other players. There is a difference in being the team rep/leader and being the person who gets things going. Shane Victorino in my opinion provides more spark for this team than anyone and needs to be recognized for that. Ibanez is another one who has come through when we needed it over and over.— Wally 24
- Walker has been so nice with 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 2.54 SO/BB. But Chan Ho maybe more impressive to me. His line (as reliever) is 2.54 ERA, "42.0" IP, and "4.27" SO/BB.— sc09
- Walker has been so nice with 2.41 ERA, 18.2 IP, 2.54 SO/BB. But Chan Ho maybe more impressive to me. His line (as reliever) is 2.54 ERA, "42.0" IP, and "4.27" SO/BB.— sc09
- Great comments. I have to believe Myers will eventually close for the rest of this year and hope Lidge rebounds next year. Park has been great, but I would never have him close as he has been a beast where he is. I agree Bruntlett should be replaced to make this team a tad stronger for another run.— SmartAlec
- are we talking about the guy used to be head of vietnam?— kiwi
- I'd spot Park as my 7th inning guy when the Phils have the lead and keep him in until he's done or the game is over. You can get 30-35 innings out of him that way between now and the end of the season. I feel confident when he's in in a way I don't feel with other relievers of late.— Claudio Vernight
- @celtic13: Yakuza is a Japanese organized crime syndicate. Chan Ho Park is Korean. Anyway, Chan Ho is awesome. I've even picked him up on my fantasy team, my league has a lot of averages categories and also holds, so he racks me up a lot of points, contributes to my K's, and evens out the numbers when my starters get bombed (particularly Cole Hamels, who is also on my team.)— hypernetic
Reach Sam at donnels@phillynews.com.
